Strawberry sauce donuts (Buñuelos con salsa de fresas)
Buñuelo is the spanish word for donut... This is a recipe from the ancient Mediterranean cuisine; probably of moorish or hebrew origin.
In some latin countries such as Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, these buñuelos (donuts) are part of the traditional Christmas dinner. In Colombia,
as an example, it is usually made of a measure of ground cheese, eggs, corn flour with a little starch and sugar. Combining all these ingredients together form a dough, which is then fried until golden brown. Preparing our donuts this way, with strawberries and Cognac, is a method that originally came from France.
One type of donut, shaped like a ball and made with a particularily light dough, is called buñuelos de viento (wind donuts) for its lightness and because they often have large air bubbles trapped inside.
Of course we take advantage of the hollow interior to fill it with cream, in which case they are called buñuelos de crema or profiteroles. Other donuts made without cream are, for example, the buñuelos del Ampurdán, which are ring-shaped. In Catalonia, Valencia and the Balearic Islands there are many different types of sweet buñuelos, each associated with different holidays, some may include in their dough potatoes, sweet potatoes, cheese, dried figs, etc. In other Latin regions exist also what they call fried porras and churros.
Recipe for mexican strawberry sauce donuts:
for the Buñuelos themselves
* 1/2 lb. (250g) fresh or frozen strawberries
* 1/2 cup raisins
* 1 cup water
* 4 tablespoons butter
* 1/2 cup sugar
* 1 tablespoon grated orange zest
* 2 cups white all-purpose flour
* 1 tablespoon baking powder
* 3 eggs, beaten
* fresh canola oil, which you will use to fry the buñuelos
* a deep fryer to carry out safely the frying step
The sweet sauce that goes with this:
* 1/2 cup sugar
* water
* 2 tablespoons cognac
Instructions:
Making the dough for our Buñuelos:
In a large skillet, melt the butter and mix in the sugar, raisins and orange zest in a saucepan and bring to a boil.
Add the flour, stirring constantly until it is well mixed and smooth. Allow the mixture to cool down and gradually add the beaten eggs, mixing well; finally add the baking powder and knead.
This will be your dough, ready for frying. Reserve this mixture for later.
For the sweet sauce:
Heat sugar and water until the sugar has dissolved completely.
Add the strawberries and allow to simmer for 5 minutes
Stir vigorously a few minutes.
Add a splash of cognac or brandy
Heat the oil to right temperature for frying
and put in little balls of the dough we did previously.
Fry until puffy and browned
Once you pull the Buñuelos out of the oil, lay them on paper towels to drain from the excess oil;
dry and sprinkle with icing sugar.
Serve with the sweet sauce
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
